Quick disconnect coupler with selectively insertable valve assembly

Abstract

A quick disconnect coupler for releasably coupling pipes which incorporates a valve assembly including a valve sleeve, a ring surrounding the sleeve, a spring for resiliently urging the ring relative to the sleeve and a valve seat carried by the ring, which valve assembly may be inserted within a principal member of a female element of the connector and be frictionally retained therein until being mechanically retained by a rear member selectively insertable within the principal member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a quick disconnect coupler for releasably coupling pipes which includes a tubular female element having a principal member defining a bore therein and a rear member, the principal member having a front end in which a male element is receivable and a rear end, and the rear member being slidably receivable within the rear end of the principal member, the improvement comprising, an independent valve assembly selectively slidably receivable within the bore intermediate the front and rear ends of the principal member, said valve assembly including a sleeve having first and second ends and an open passageway therethrough, a ring surrounding said sleeve and having a first end extending towards said first end of said sleeve and a second end having a generally annular valve seat mounted thereto, and a spring means mounted to said valve assembly so as to normally urge said second end of said sleeve toward said valve seat, and said valve seat being deformable so as to engage the inner walls defining the bore of the principal member to thereby retain said valve assembly in the bore until the rear member is received within said rear end of the principal member. 
     
     
       2. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 1 in which said valve assembly includes a valve head which extends from said second end of said sleeve, said valve head being configured so as to engage said valve seat to thereby block flow of a fluid through the open passageway through said sleeve when said head portion is engaged with said valve seat. 
     
     
       3. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 2 wherein said second end of said ring includes a terminal face having an annular projection extending therefrom, said valve seat including an annular recess therein in which said annular projection of said terminal face is received so as to center said valve seat with respect to said ring. 
     
     
       4. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 3 wherein said valve seat is formed of an elastomeric material. 
     
     
       5. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 3 wherein said sleeve includes radially extending portions, and said spring means extending between said radially extending portions of said sleeve and said outwardly extending flange of said ring. 
     
     
       6. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 5 wherein said sleeve includes an outer ring portion having arcuate openings therein, and portions of said ring extending through said openings in said outer ring portion of said sleeve. 
     
     
       7. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 6 wherein said valve seat is engageable by the rear member when said rear member is slidably received within the rear end of the principal member. 
     
     
       8. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 7 including means for elastically retaining the rear member within the principal member. 
     
     
       9. The quick disconnect coupler of claim 8 wherein said means for retaining includes elastic clips formed in the principal member and extending into the bore thereof, the rear member including outwardly extending portions engageable by said clips when the rear member is received within the rear portion of the principal member, whereby the rear member is restrained from being separated from the principal member.